UPSC Prelims 2016 · Question 89 of 98
UPSC Prelims 2016 question on Montagu Chelmsford Reforms
- ExamUPSC CSE
- Year2016
- PaperGeneral Studies Paper I
- SubjectModern History
- TopicConstitutional Development
- DifficultyEasy
- TypeDirect
The Montague-Chelmsford Proposals were related to
Show answer
Answer: D. constitutional reforms
Verdict
The answer is constitutional reforms. The Montagu-Chelmsford proposals led to the Government of India Act, 1919.
Analysis
On 20 August 1917 Montagu, the Secretary of State for India, declared in the British Parliament that policy would be one of increasing association of Indians in every branch of administration and the gradual development of self governing institutions, with a view to the progressive realisation of responsible government in India as an integral part of the British Empire. The proposals he framed with Viceroy Chelmsford became the Government of India Act, 1919, introducing dyarchy in the provinces. They concerned governance structure, not social, educational or police reform.
Source
NCERT Class XII and Bipan Chandra.
How to crack it
Pairs of British names attached to a set of proposals almost always denote a constitutional package, since a Secretary of State and a Viceroy together can only be legislating on governance. Montagu-Chelmsford gives 1919, Morley-Minto gives 1909, and Lucknow, Cripps and Cabinet Mission follow the same pattern of name to constitutional step. Reading the pairing convention answers the question before the content does.